指挥
zhǐhuī · HSK 4
command
🎼 指 = finger/point + 挥 = wave; pointing + waving = conducting
指 means finger or to point; 挥 means to wave or wield. A conductor points and waves a baton to direct the orchestra, so 指挥 literally combines pointing and waving into conducting or commanding.
指 — hand radical 扌 + 旨 (zhǐ, phonetic)
指 is a semantic-phonetic compound. The hand radical 扌 gives the meaning — something done with the hand, namely pointing with a finger. 旨 supplies the sound 'zhǐ'. From 'finger' it naturally extended to the verb 'to point' and figurative senses like 'to indicate' or 'to refer to'.
挥 — hand radical 扌 + 军 jūn (phonetic)
A semantic-phonetic compound: the hand radical 扌 indicates an action done with the hand, while 军 supplies the sound (jūn → huī). The original sense was to wave, brandish, or swing the hand, later extended to 'wield,' 'command,' and figurative uses like 'disperse' or 'wipe away.'